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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 6:37PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Feb 18, 2012
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Hello.
I am one of 3 DM's running a new world in which we each have our own continent and deity. On my continent I would like to offer some sort of property, estate, business, etc. to any PC that wishes to take me up on my offer. I have decided to have a small list of goods that each player can choose one of, then I will bestow a small property to them. They will start with a 5 GP per week income, and will be able to take root in one of the current towns, or blaze a trail to find the ideal spot.
The problem that I am having is figuring out how to improve or upgrade their properties. I would like to come up with a list of upgrades that can be both purchased and earned. Some would need consequences, some prerequisites(leadership comes to mind), and others maybe just gold or a completed quest.
Please help me with any ideas for upgrades on the properties, or if there are any articles or books that cover property expansion. Thanks.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 7:22PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Feb 26, 2012
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Start off really small (like just barren land small) and work up. First a house, then a manor, then walls, then buildings/businesses and keep expanding. Make it so that the players gain subjects BEFORE expandinh and force them to come up with new expansions. Example: locals want a new baker. A potential baker applies for a land grant and financial support. Do the players provide it? A group of bandits and hooligans have been causing trouble. For awhile, the PC's are the lawmakers, but they can't always be home. Instead they hire a few guards, who need housing. Town guard barracks slated!
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 7:14AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Feb 18, 2012
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All right. This is an excellent start. Should I just have workers available to hire in the big city? What if I made an upgrade like 500 GP to expand enough for 4 new workers, then this increases the income per week, and so on. If they decide to produce a higher quality of product for less income, they would gain more reputation, and maybe gain some free followers or something. I really like the idea of PC's supporting or financing other businesses, and was planning that there would be some guards hired. Thanks. More ideas welcome.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 7:44AM
#4
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Have you talked to the players to see if they'd find this interesting? D&D's basic premise involves heroic adventure and meeting with contractors and getting permits to add a bathroom sounds like something particularly unheroic. Maybe the scene where the party decides on the right wallpaper will be exciting, but only if it's on sale.
I think this would be something interesting in the abstract and with an eye towards not impinging on the PCs' time as heroic adventurers. Mundane is not too fun. Talk to your players.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 8:06AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Jan 16, 2012
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Have you talked to the players to see if they'd find this interesting? D&D's basic premise involves heroic adventure and meeting with contractors and getting permits to add a bathroom sounds like something particularly unheroic. Maybe the scene where the party decides on the right wallpaper will be exciting, but only if it's on sale.
I think this would be something interesting in the abstract and with an eye towards not impinging on the PCs' time as heroic adventurers. Mundane is not too fun. Talk to your players.
Much agreed. Make sure to let them know before the campaign starts that this isn't going to be the typical D&D chronicle.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 1:15PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Feb 18, 2012
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NO, this is not the main idea. Adventuring will be up front and most important. There estates would be run by workers, and they may have to defend a raid once in a while. Go out, adventure, make money, come home, collect money made, maybe invest some, go out and adventure again. Wallpapers and contractors will not be part of this. Players financing stores, maybe, but not zoning laws, and stuff like that. Sorry for the confusion.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 1:30PM
#7
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NO, this is not the main idea. Adventuring will be up front and most important. There estates would be run by workers, and they may have to defend a raid once in a while. Go out, adventure, make money, come home, collect money made, maybe invest some, go out and adventure again. Wallpapers and contractors will not be part of this. Players financing stores, maybe, but not zoning laws, and stuff like that. Sorry for the confusion.
Couple of issues, if you're sticking fairly close to the rules. First, players need their money to buy gear (usually). They may look at the list you worked so hard on, put it aside, and go buy the next higher-bonus neck slot item.
As well, this stuff is better abstracted. In most campaigns based around the core assumptions, adventurers are rich after their first couple adventures, at least as compared to most of the mooks running around. So if they want a house, they got a house. They want a store? They got a store. It doesn't need to be at all specific except when it comes into play during the story such as when you said they'd have to defend it from time to time. THAT'S when the focus should be on that kind of stuff.
In addition, presuming you're handing out what is considered the appropriate wealth by level, they're really gaining nothing by way of this transaction anyway - their "return on investment" is essentially deducted from the adventure and then given to them when they get back to town and settle accounts. It's just shifting the numbers around a ledger. This'll create more work for you for very little return in the game. Is that what you want?
I hate to sound like a pessimist, but plenty of us have already gone down this road and it's just not that fun. However, IF your players think it's a really good idea and are totally into it, then go for it. Just be prepared for everyone to not care about it anymore after a few sessions as the initial excitment wears off and their focus inevitably shifts to the dangers and threats in the nearest dungeon... which is where it should be.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 10:23PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Feb 18, 2012
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Okay, so now I know what not to do and what to avoid, etc. I appreciate the insight, and will be toning the overall concept down, but would still like some actual ideas concerning the premise. I do, however, believe that my group will have some interest in this, especially as a place to rest, stash items, etc. Of course, like you said, this goes along the lines of just buying a house, but why not have some added options, as well as give it a little flair in terms of story. I guess I am getting a little defensive here, so thanks again for the input.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 10:42PM
#9
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I do, however, believe that my group will have some interest in this,
"Believe" or "know?" Because there is a big difference that will matter to you especially when the truth is revealed. I'm not trying to bust your chops. I'm trying to save you from needless work. So so many problems on these forums would be avoided if people just stopped assuming their players will want or like something they thought up and ask them before they put effort into it.
but why not have some added options, as well as give it a little flair in terms of story.
Emphasis mine. You don't need charts or ledgers or inventories to give things "a little flair in terms of story." You just need a good imagination and some shared storytelling with your players. If they say they buy a house, great. If they put more thought into it and say it was designed by an elven architect, great! Now they get a +2 bonus to interaction checks with elves if they invite them over for tea and crumpets. Just listen to what they're interested in doing in the context of your game, let them do it if it sounds reasonable enough (no gp need change hands - keep it abstract), and give them a mechanical bonus appropriate to the attempt.
Bonus: You won't need to come up with ANYTHING beforehand in the way of upgrades or improvements or anything like that.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 21, 2012 - 10:51PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Jan 18, 2007
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Some quick questions: What edition are you playing? 4E is very adventure focused and doesn't have a lot of good rules for building up a home base, aside from a few wonderous locations. Some of the earlier 3.5 stuff had whole books on fortress building and all sorts of rules here and there What is the setting that you are trying to invoke for your continent? What your players might want in a forest world may be very different than what they want in a desert or in the mountains. Some starting details would be helpful to come up with ideas for actual content. Also as a note, while some players don't like doing a whole lot of house keeping and stuff like that, it can be done well and it can be very enjoyable. Currently I'm a player in a Star Wars game and we spend a fair amount of time talking about our ship and how to improve it, as well as what kinds of goods we should purchase for trade missions. From this experience I would recommend giving 'the estate' to the group and having them all share it. I wouldn't have it be a wealth producer for the party, instead have it give out benefits if the party puts money/effort into it. For example, hiring on a kitchen staff allows the party to not make meals when they come back from adventuring, and the cook can prepare them 10 days trail rations per person once a month at no cost to the party. Purchasing a well allows them to grow an herbal garden. They can harvest the herbs to get a discount on healing potions at a local apothecary. But overall you want to make this as little about mechanics and as much about roleplaying as possible. They should want a magically animated scarecrow because it's something silly to talk to when they come home, not because it does 2d6+5 dmg to enemies that stand next to it. Edit: Just listen to what they're interested in doing in the context of your game, let them do it if it sounds reasonable enough (no gp need change hands - keep it abstract), and give them a mechanical bonus appropriate to the attempt.
An even better idea is to ask them how much they want to spend on it. That way you will know how invested they want to be in whatever upgrade they desire, and you can estimate the quality it will be based on how much they spend.
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